Massachusetts: May 2004
Massachusetts became the first state in the Union to allow gay marriage. On Nov. 18, 2003, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled that "barring an individual from the protections, benefits, and obligations of civil marriage solely because that person would marry a person of the same sex violates the Massachusetts Constitution." May 17, 2004 became the first day that same sex couples were allowed to marry in the "Bay State." At the time, President George W. Bush opposed the ruling.
Connecticut: October 2008
Connecticut approved civil unions in 2005, granting same-sex couples the same protections under the law as heterosexual marriages, according to the American Psychological Association. At the same time, Connecticut struck a blow to gay marriage advocates by defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. On Oct. 28, 2008 the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that the law banning same-sex marriage violated the Connecticut Constitution.
Iowa: April 2009
In 2005, six same-couples brought a lawsuit claiming that denying them marriage violated the equal-protection provision of the Iowa Constitution, according to CNN. In 2007, the Polk County, Iowa District Court ruled in favor of the couples. An April 3, 2009 Iowa Supreme Court decision upheld the Polk County decision in Varnum v. Brien. On April 27, 2009, same-sex marriage in Iowa became legal.
Vermont: September 2009
Ten years before same-sex marriage was allowed in Vermont, the State's Supreme Court ruled in Baker v. The State of Vermont that "plaintiffs may not be deprived of the statutory benefits and protections afforded persons of the opposite sex who choose to marry." This opened the door for civil unions in yet another state. Gay marriage took a turbulent course to legalization when in April of 2009 Governor Jim Douglas vetoed a bill allowing for same-sex marriage. For the first time since 1990 the Vermont legislature overrode a governor's veto, and gay marriage became legal on September 1, 2009.
New Hampshire: January 2010
On May 31, 2007, New Hampshire's HB 437 became the first legislation granting civil unions in the United States that was passed without judicial prodding. In June 2009, Gov. John Lynch approved legislation allowing for same-sex marriage, according to the New York Times. Although Lynch did delay passage of the bill by advocating for the protection of religious institutions who disagreed with same-sex marriage, New Hampshire's marriage fight was less volatile than previous states'. On January 1, 2010 gay marriage became legal in New Hampshire.
New York: June 2011
According to Reuters, New York became the sixth and most populous state to approve gay marriage. Weddings will be allowed to take place 30 days from the passage of the bill. Gay marriage in New York has had perhaps the longest journey of any same-sex legislation. Gay rights advocates can trace New York's gay rights roots to 1969 when police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York City. Friday night's legislation continues Gov. Andrew Cuomo's success thus far as CEO of New York.
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